In a study involving 15,555 randomly selected men and women aged 25 to 54 from 5 countries, researchers found that current smokers, ex-smokers, and passive smokers constituted groups that had a major risk factor for habitual snoring.

The investigators revealed that the frequency of habitual snoring increases with the amount of tobacco smoked. Ever smoking accounted for 17.1 percent of the attributable risk of habitual snoring, with obesity accounting for 4.3 percent, and passive smoking for 2.2 percent.

According to the authors, passive smoking has not been a previously recognized risk factor among adults for snoring. The research project involved individuals living in Iceland, Estonia, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Within the group, 18.3 percent of the population suffered from habitual snoring. The persons involved responded to a questionnaire that was mailed to them. The study article notes that habitual snoring is a common disorder with a prevalence of 16 to 33 percent in men and 8 to 19 percent in women.

The paper points out that those who snore often suffer from daytime sleepiness, with many patients commonly disrupting the sleep of their bed partners. The research appears in the first issue for October 2004 of the American Thoracic Society's peer-reviewed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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